Quick change number indicator

ABSTRACT

A quick change number indicator for signs which display various number digits such, for example, as a sign used for indicating the price of gasoline. Each digit is exposed at a window in the face of the sign and it is a number formed in block style with horizontal and vertical bar portions making up the number. Three rotating indicators are mounted upon the sign behind the window in such a manner that selective rotation of these indicators will present various horizontal and vertical bar portions at the window in arrangements to indicate the digit 0 and 1 through 9.

United States Patent Teel 1 Apr. 8, 1975 QUICK CHANGE NUMBER INDICATOR [76] Inventor: Sylvan Tee], BOX 272 PFIIIIUI') E.\'aminerRobert W. Michell Westminster Cola 80030 Assistant Examiner-John H. Wolff Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Van Valkenburgh, Lowe & [221 Filed: Dec. 17, 1973 L [21] Appl. No.: 425,336

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl 40/70 R [51] Int. Cl. G09I II/04 A quick change number indicator for signs which dis- [58] Field of Search 40/70 R, 28 C, 125 E, 137, play various number digits such, for example, as a sign 40/34. 77.4; 35/74. 70, 71; 1 16/133 used for indicating the price of gasoline. Each digit is exposed at a window in the face of the sign and it is a [56] References Cited number formed in block style with horizontal and ver- UNITED STATES PATENTS tical bar portions making up the number. Three rotat- 755272 3/1904 Bumham H 40/28 C ing indicators are mounted upon the sign behind the 1,046963 12/1912 Burgquim 40/70 R window in such a manner that selective rotation of 1.513.158 10/1924 Cook 40/70 R these indicators will present various horizontal and 2.728.167 12/1955 Knott 7. 40/70 R X vertical bar portions at the window in arrangements to 3.399.474 9/1968 Rindcr 40/28 C indicate the digit 0 and 1 through 9.

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 7 Claims, 15 Drawing Flgures 231.625 4/1910 Germany 40/774 QUICK CHANGE NUMBER INDICATOR This invention relates to number indicating signs, such as signs which indicate a price, and more particularly to number indicating signs having numbers which may be quickly changed. As such, the invention will sometimes be hereinafter called a quick change number indicator."

Signs with quick change number indicators are especially useful for advertising commodities having fluctuating prices. For example, the invention is especially useful for signs indicating the price of gasoline at service stations because gasoline will frequently fluctuate in price. For example, one day it could sell for 37 cents a gallon and the following day it could sell for 45 cents a gallon. The service station operator must change his signs each time the price change occurs to properly advertise the price at which he is selling gasoline.

The pricing of commodities is not the only area of use where a quick-change sign is needed. The present invention will be useful for road signs setting forth speed limits. At many highway locations, special events can occur where the normal speed limit must be changed to accommodate the circumstances and a quick change of the number indications is necessary.

Various conventional types of signs having changeable price indicating devices are available. One of the simplest expedients is to have number cards which can be mounted upon the sign. This is not always desirable since storage facilities are required for keeping a set of numbered cards for the required changes. Another expedient resides in having a backboard upon which numbers may be painted with an easily removable paint. This is undesirable because it is necessary to keep a can of paint, a brush and scraping tools on hand.

A better and more desirable arrangement is to provide a sign which has changeable numerals within it which can be quickly changed and set by an operator without the use of accessories. One common expedient, where two numerals are desired, resides in providing a sign having two wheels side-by-side behind the face of the sign. Each wheel has a sequence of digits printed upon it and adjacent digits of the two wheels are exposed through adjacent window openings in the face of the sign. Each of the wheels may be rotated to place selected digits in the windows. This is a quick and simple procedure and requires no storage of numerals or the like; however, the sign must be excessively large compared with the windows and the size of the numeral digits to overlay the two adjacent wheels.

The present invention was conceived and developed with the foregoing and other considerations in view and comprises, in essence, a sign having adjacent windows in its face wherein numeral digits 0, l, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are displayed. The digits are formed by combining rotating indicators at the edges of the sign windows. Each indicator carries bar-marks which can become a portion of any selected numeral digit depending upon the manner in which it is rotated with respect to other indicators. Three such indicators can form any desired numeral in the window, as hereinafter set forth in detail. One obvious advantage and an object of the invention is that a small sign can overlay the indicators when compared with the size of a sign required to overlay number wheels.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved quick change number indicator which is a compact, neat appearing unit adapted for many different uses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved quick change number indicator for a sign which is complete in and of itself and does not require additional parts, such as extra number cards, which must be stored when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved quick change number indicator for a sign wherein a selected digit may be quickly formed within a window in the face of a sign by combining bar-marks on rotating indicators, at the edge of the window, with different arrangements of the bar-marks producing different number digits.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved quick change number indicator for a sign which is especially easy to use and an unskilled operator can easily set various digits in the windows of the sign.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a novel and improved quick change number indicator for a sign which is a simple, low cost, rugged and durable unit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my present invention comprises certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts and elements as hereinafter described, defined in the appended claims and illustrated in preferred embodiment by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a front elevation cabinet view of the improved quick change number indicator, formed as a two-digit sign with the indicators shifted to designate the number 98;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation cabinet view of one construction ofa backboard for the sign with dashed lines indicating the location of the window openings for the number sign;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation cabinet view of the backboard member of the two-digit sign, having circular indicators mounted upon this board at one side of the openings;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the partially assembled sign as taken from the indicated line 4-4 of FIG. 3, but

on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation cabinet view of the backboard member having the circular indicators of FIG. 3 and another indicator at the opposite side of the openings overlaying the first mentioned indicators;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the partially assembled sign as taken from the indicated line 6-6 at FIG. 5 but on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the assembled sign as taken substantially from the indicated line 7-7 at FIG. 1 but on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional isometric view as taken substantially from the indicated arrow 8 at FIG, 1 but on an enlarged scale to illustrate specifically one type of mount suitable for use with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional detail as taken from the indicated line 99 at FIG. 8 but on an enlarged scale and with broken lines indicating a wrench which may be used for setting the indicators;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional detail of a portion of the backboard and of a circular indicator illustrating one mode for holding the indicators at selected positions;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary isometric detail of a pair of adjacent circular indicators showing the manner in which the circular plates may be lapped to provide for a better matching of bar-marks on the indicators;

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the sign showing the indicators behind the sign windows in dotted lines and showing the indicators moved to positions to designate the digits and 1',

FIG. 13 is a front elevational view similar to FIG. 12 but with the indicators shifted to designate the digits 2 and 3;

FIG. 14 is a front elevational view similar to FIG. 12 but illustrating the indicators shifted to designate the digits 4 and 5; and

FIG. is a front elevational view similar to FIG. 12 but illustrating the indicators shifted to designate the digits 7 and 6.

The sign S illustrated in the drawing exemplifies a two-digit sign which can be used for advertising the price of a commodity such as gasoline, or it might be used for a speed limit sign. This sign is formed upon a backboard 20, a rigid sheet of any suitable material, such as plywood. Flat sheetlike indicators, hereinafter described in detail, are pivotally mounted upon this backboard 20. The indicators are overlain by a faceboard 2], which is also a flat, rigid sheet of a suitable material such as plywood. This faceboard includes a pair of window openings 22, arranged side by side at the center of this sign, where the digits formed by the indicators are exposed. A spacer strip 23 extends about the peripheral edge of the sign between the backboard and the faceboard 21 to hold these boards apart to provide a narrow space for the indicators. These components constitute the body of the sign and are secured in place by suitable pins 24, as best indicated at FIGS. 1 and 7.

The faceboard 21 of the sign may be plain as illustrated, or it may include suitable legends at either side of the windows 22, or above or below the windows. Such legends will be more or less permanent while the digits within the windows may be changed as desired. It is to be noted that the arrangement of indicators in one window is identical to the arrangement of the indicators in the other window. Also, there exists no operative functional correlation of the indicators of one window with the indicators of the other window, and hence, the following description will, for the most part, be directed to the indicators and components of one window only, with like parts at the other window bearing the same reference numbers.

In the present invention, the digits presented necessarily conform to a block-letter style wherein each part of a digit is formed by a horizontal or a vertical bar or lines. The window 22 forms the outer boundary of each digit. The window, rectangular in form, is approximately twice as high as it is wide to produce a well proportioned digit. It was discovered that three indicators having swinging bar arrangements, were required for forming all digits in the window. Two of these indica tors will have L-shaped bars and the third will have a T-shaped bar. The two indicators with L-shaped bars, and 31, are located adjacent to the respective upper and lower left corners of the window 22 and the indicator 32 with the T-shaped bar is located at the center of the right side of the window.

The full use of these three indicators is exemplified by the formation of the digit 8 in the right hand window 22 shown at FIG. 1. When the digit 8 is formed, the upper L-bar indicator 30 provides a horizontal bar portion 33 at the upper edge of the window, and a second, vertical bar portion 34 at the upper half of the left wall of the window. The lower L-bar indicator 31 provides a vertical bar portion 35 at the lower half of the left wall of the window and a second, horizontal bar portion 36 at the lower edge of the window. The T-shaped bar indicator 32 provides a vertical bar portion 37 at the right wall of the window and a second, horizontal bar portion 38 across the center of the window.

Each of the indicators is pivotally mounted so that it, or a portion of it, can swing out of the window area to change the outline of the digit therein. For example, the digit 9 appears in the left hand window 22 of FIG. 1. The FIG. 8 digit can be easily changed to a FIG. 9 digit by a simple clockwise rotation of the lower L-bar indicator 31. This rotation will shift the bar portion 35 from a vertical position at the lower half of the left wall of the window to a horizontal position at the lower edge of the window and at the same time, shift the bar portion 36 out of the window area. Likewise, any of the other digits can be formed by similar selective rotation of the indicators 30, 31 and 32 to the positions shown at FIGS. 12 to 15 hereinafter described.

The bar indicators 30, 31 and 32 are necessarily formed of flat, sheet material which can lie within the narrow space between the backboard 29 and faceboard 21 to swing in and out of their window opening. Each bar indicator may assume the form of its bar pattern, that is, the two L-shaped members 30 and 31 can assume an L-shape and the T-shaped member 32 can assume a T-shape. However, it is preferable to form the L-shaped members 30 and 31 upon flat discs 40 and 41, respectively, and the T-shaped member 32 upon a plate 42 with the outlines of the members being painted upon the discs or plates as now described.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the L-shaped indicators 30 and 31 are painted or otherwise marked upon the discs 40 and 41 which are pivotally mounted upon the backboard 20 to lie against this backboard, one above the other, and to touch each other at the center of the window, as best illustrated at FIG. 3. It is to be noted that this arrangement may also be used to space the windows 22 apart because the discs 40 and 41 used for one window can be spotted on the backboard at a location which will barely touch the corresponding discs 40 and 41 used for the other window, as illustrated. The T-shaped indicator 32 is painted upon a modified square plate 42 which is also pivotally mounted upon the backboard 20 but spaced from the backboard to overlie the discs 40 and 41 as illustrated at FIG. 5. This modified square plate 42 is proportioned to fill the openings within the digit formed by the discs and plates. It is desirable, however, to have the ends of the T-shaped indicator overlap the L-shaped indicators and, accordingly, the ends of the T-shaped indicator 32 project beyond the margin of the square plate 42 to accomplish this, as illustrated in the drawing.

The pivots 43 and 44, which hold the discs 40 and 41 respectively, are located above and below the window 22 a distance which is one-half the width of horizontal bar portions which appear in the window to form a digit, as indicated as 56 w at FIG. 1. These pivots 43 and 44 are also located from the left edge of the window 22 a distance which is one-half the width of vertica] portions which appear in the window to form a digit, as indicated as 9% w at FIG. 1. With this specified location of each pivot 43 and 44, the L-shaped indicators 30 and 31, respectively, may be proportioned to be twice as wide as the width of an indicator portion appearing in the window, with the respective pivots being located at a position offset from one side of the L a distance of la the width of the bar portion appearing in the window at a position from the other side of the L a distance of l k times the width of the bar portion appearing in the window, as illustrated. In this arrangement, the outer sides of each L-shaped indicator 30 and 31 may be turned into the window to form a vertical portion of a digit alongside the left edge of the window, and to form a horizontal portion ofa digit at the respective top and bottom edges of the window. The inner sides of each L-shaped indicator 30 and 31 may be turned into the window to form an angular portion of a digit, across the top and left side of the window and across the bottom and left side of the window, respectively. Finally, the indicators 30 and 31 may be rotated above and below the top and bottom edges of the window, respectively, to turn the indicators out of the windows. The various positions which these L-shaped indicators 30 and 31 may assume is best shown at FIGS. 12, l3, l4 and where the bars are shown at various positions with portions in full at the windows and in broken lines behind the windows.

The pivot 45 which holds the modified square 42 is located in the window, at the horizontal centerline C of the window and a distance from the right edge of the window which is one-half the bar-mark width, 55 W, of a digit appearing in the window as shown at FIG. 1. With this specified location of the pivot 45, the T- shaped indicator 31 is proportioned to be as wide as the width of an indicator portion appearing in the window, with the pivot being located at the center of the arm bar 37 and at the center of the leg bar of the T-form. Rotation of this T-shaped indicator to various positions can provide a vertical portion of a digit at the right side of the window and a horizontal bar across the center of the window and the combination of a vertical portion of a digit at the upper half, or lower half, of the right side of the window and a horizontal bar across the center of the window.

It follows that the several indicators may be rotated to various positions to form different digits, as heretofore explained. The digits 9 and 8 are shown at FIG. 1; the digits 0 and l are shown at FIG. 12; the digits 2 and 3 at FIG. 13; the digits 4 and 5 at FIG. 14; and the digits 7 and 6 at FIG. 15.

The pivots 43, 44 and 45 may be formed in any suitable manner, but preferably in a manner which incorporates sufficient frictional drag on the discs 40 and 41 and square plate 42 to prevent their rotation accidentally. Also, the pivots are exposed at the face of the board, with the pivots 43 and 44 extending through suitable holes 43' and 44' in the faceboard for access. With this arrangement, the pivot may then be rotated to rotate the discs and plate to any selected bar combination to form a given digit. Any suitable mechanism may be provided to facilitate turning the discs and plates, such as the wrench 46 illustrated in broken lines at FIG. 9.

In the construction illustrated, each pivot is mounted upon a cylindrical boss 47 which is anchored into the backboard to outstand therefrom. A cylindrical cap 48, having a socket in its base, is fitted upon this boss and locked thereon by a split ring connector 49 fitted into a groove 50 in the cap and a corresponding groove in the boss 49. This cap is provided with a rim 51 at its base which is cemented or welded onto the face of its respective disc or plate. The crown of the cap is also socketed, as with a hexagonal socket 52 to receive the wrench 46, as heretofore mentioned. As an alternate to the use of a wrench, the cap may also be knurled as at 53 to facilitate turning it by hand.

Each plate is spaced from the backboard 20 and the discs 40 and 41, forming the indicators 30 and 31, are spaced a very short distance from the backboard by a washer 54 between the disc and the backboard. The square plate 42 forming the T-shaped indicator is spaced from the backboard a greater distance by a spacer washer 55 which holds the plate 42 above the discs 40 and 41, as best illustrated at FIG. 9.

Other suitable instrumentalities may be provided for holding the disc 40 and 41 and plate 42 at selected po sitions. For example, a spring snap detent 56 may be mounted upon the backboard 20 to engage a notch 57 in the disc 40 as illustrated at FIG. 10.

Another variation resides in lapping the edge portions of the discs to better form a continuous vertical bar at certain positions of the discs. This may be accomplished by a simple offset or rabbet 58 of the edges of the discs as shown at FIG. 11.

l have now described my invention in considerable detail. However, it is obvious that others skilled in the art can build and devise alternate and equivalent constructions which are nevertheless within the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence, [desire that my protection be limited not by the constructions illustrated and described, but only by the proper scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A digital display device including a face board having a flat planar viewing surface and at least one rectangular viewing window disposed therein through which an easily changeable digit means can be displayed,

said changeable digit means includes first, second and third flat planar indicator means separate pivot means whereby each of said indicator means is rotatably mounted parallel to the face board side which is opposite said viewing surface and near the edge of said window whereby a portion of each of said indicator means can be selectively rotated into view in said window, and

each of said indicator means has a figure provided thereon whereby at least a portion of said figure can be rotated into view in said window to selectively combine with the remaining indicator means to form any specified digit from zero to nine.

2. A digital display device as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the figure provided on said first and second indicator means includes two intersecting bar segments forming an L-shape with each of said indicator means pivotally mounted at the intersection of said bar segments, each of said first and second indicator means being pivotally mounted at opposite ends and near one side of said window; and

the figure of said third indicator means includes three intersecting bar segments forming a T-shape, said third indicator means being pivoted at a point corresponding to the intersection of said bar segments,

7 8 said third indicator means being rotatably mounted said rectangular window in said face board has a at a mid-point along the opposite side from the side length which is twice its width; and where said first and second indicator means are the length of said bar segments forming the figures on mounte said indicator means are at least equal to the width 3. A digital display device as defined in claim 2, f id i d wherein; 6. A digital display device as defined in claim 1 which the width of said bar segments forming the L-shape figure on said first and second indicator means is twice the width of the portion of said bar segment appearing in said window, and

said pivot is spacedly located from the edge of said further includes:

a back board and a spacing means between said back board and said face board to hold the boards apart to provide space to accommodate said indicator window a sufficient distance to permit one-half of each of said bar segments to appear in said window g g f dlsplay devlce as defined m Clam at any one time.

A digital display devise as defined in claim 2, [5 said first and secondindicator means comprise circuwherein; lar discs with a pivoting means located at the center the width of the bar segments of said T-shape figure P sa 1d l and a prgvided on id hi d i di means i the said third Indicator means a rectangular flat plate same as the width f th t p ti f id b arranged so that portions of said plate overlie porments which is to appear in said wind w, tions of each of said discs when said indicator 5. A digital display device as defined in claim 2, means are rotatably mounted in said device. wherein: 

1. A digital display device including a face board having a flat planar viewing surface and at least one rectangular viewing window disposed therein through which an easily changeable digit means can be displayed, said changeable digit means includes first, second and third flat planar indicator means separate pivot means whereby each of said indicator means is rotatably mounted parallel to the face board side which is opposite said viewing surface and near the edge of said window whereby a portion of each of said indicator means can be selectively rotated into view in said window, and each of said indicator means has a figure provided thereon whereby at least a portion of said figure can be rotated into view in said window to selectively combine with the remaining indicator means to form any specified digit from zero to nine.
 2. A digital display device as defined in claim 1, wherein: the figure provided on said first and second indicator means includes two intersecting bar segments forming an L-shape with each of said indicator means pivotally mounted at the intersection of said bar segments, each of said first and second indicator means being pivotally mounted at opposite ends and near one side of said window; and the figure of said third indicator means includes three intersecting bar segments forming a T-shape, said third indicator means being pivoted at a point corresponding to the intersection of said bar segments, said third indicator means being rotatably mounted at a mid-point along the opposite side from the side where said first and second indicator means are mounted.
 3. A digital display device as defined in claim 2, wherein: the width of said bar segments forming the L-shape figure on said first and second indicator means is twice the width of the portion of said bar segment appearing in said window, and said pivot is spacedly located from the edge of said window a sufficient distance to permit one-half of each of said bar segments to appear in said window at any one time.
 4. A digital display device as defined in claim 2, wherein: the width of the bar segments of said T-shape figure as provided on said third indicator means is the same as the width of that portion of said bar segments which is to appear in said window.
 5. A digital display device as defined in claim 2, wherein: said rectangular window in said face board has a length which is twice its width; and the length of said bar segments forming the figures on said indicator means are at least equal to the width of said window.
 6. A digital display device as defined in claim 1 which further includes: a back board and a spacing means between said back board and said face board to hold the boards apart to provide space to accommodate said indicator means.
 7. A digital display device as defined in claim 1, wherein: said first and second indicator means comprise circular discs with a pivoting means located at the center of said discs, and said third indicator means is a rectangular flat plate arranged so that portions of said plate overlie portions of each of said discs when said indicator means are rotatably mounted in said device. 